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More Stimulator Phrases

Oscar Overton provided some very important feedback about the stimulator phrases from last week's olumn. He not only provides some better replacements, he gives us a rationale about what a better Stimulator phrase would do. Thanks Oscar and everyone who sent suggestions -- don't miss these!

From Oscar:

Just some thoughts about the statements in the recent "Wake-up Brain". While I agree with the sentiment behind the difference in phrases, I feel that a few of them are no better than the ones that they replace. Why? Because they just take the opposite tack of the originals and don't really blend a sense of seeking the path between the two extremes.

Part of the issue is to get to the objector to identify the specifics of their objections. Another part must be to address the concern of the person objecting. Dismissing their concern out of hand will only alienate them instead of encouraging them to meet in the middle.

Another part is to verbalize the issue separating them. The final part is to get people thinking differently. The first three examples and some others do this but several don't.

The second item illustrates the good statements well.

Killer: We tried it last yearLeap Stimulator: What did we learn that could make this try better?

This ties the challange of the objector to the effort of last year. It implicity states that it wasn't perfect last year (try to make it better), but it displays the intent to incorporate the experience (what did we learn) with future efforts rather than dismiss all of the experience.

It also seeks specific rather than global information. It helps build a bridge and challenges the objector with participating in the new effort rather than isolating them.

What about these options for the several that don't?

Killer: It won’t workLeap Stimulator: How could we make it work?Alternate Leap Stimulator: What about it won't work and how do we overcome that.

Killer: Management won’t buy itLeap Stimulator: What would make management drool for it?Alternate Leap Stimulator: With what would management disagree and what would make management drool for it?

Killer: Let’s do some more researchLeap Stimulator: How could we test it quickly and easily?Alternate Leap Stimulator: Wheat are your specific concerns and how could we test them quickly and easily?Alternate Leap Stimulator: How do we quickly and easily test your specific concerns?

Killer: Don't make mistakesLeap Stimulator: Let's try a bunch of things until we find something that works.Alternate Leap Stimulator: Let's look at new things to make sure that we are not currently making a mistake.Alternate Leap Stimulator: It's a mistake to not look for a better way.

Killer: Be practical!Leap Stimulator: Let’s think wild and crazy just for a minute.Alternate Leap Stimulator: Being practical is considering all the options, even the crazy ones.

Killer: I’ll get back to you.Leap Stimulator: What intrigues you about it right now? (This is a good one.)Alternate Leap Stimulator: How about tomorrow at 9:00 am?

Killer: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.Leap Stimulator: There’s always a better way; let’s find it!Alternate Leap Stimulator: How do we know it ain't broke if we don't look at it differently!Alternate Leap Stimulator: Let's don't fix it, let's make it better.

Killer: Don’t fight city hall.Leap Stimulator: What would make city hall join the parade?Alternate Leap Stimulator: Why would city hall object and how do we get them to join the parade?

Now, admittedly these alternates are not stand alone, as yours are, but are responses to the challenges that have been stated. If we are already thinking about the challenges then why not incorporate them
into our response before they are even asked. Without our recognition of the challenge, the challenger will not accept our counter challenge.

Just some thoughts.

By the way, I liked your poem.

Another thought. There is the extreme element of innovation that rejects any existing form or function, rule or regulation, or precident or tradition without consideration for its importance. I'm with a company that is an offshoot from an international behemoth. I have observed three attitudes in the transition to an independent entity.

1. The old was good enough for them and should be good enough for us.
2. All the old ways were wrong and we should never do anything the way the did it.
3. What are we suppose to be doing?

Being a relatively new employee (shortly after the separation) I'm in group three. Also, I'm in a discipline that straddles the line between old and new - safety design. I realize the need for elements of the old way (regulations) because many of these were developed based on experience (mostly bad). I also realize the need for new ways (exceptions to the regulations) because new challenges appear every day. Life is dynamic, not static.

Innovation is not necessarily throwing out the old but refreshing the old to make it relevant to the new world. Maybe that is why I'm sensitive to some of the statements made below because I often sit between the two extremes and see their unawareness and unwillingness to cooperate with each other. Much of it hinges on the unawareness. Each retreats into their own fortress and lobs artillery rounds at one another.

The language continues to keep them separated and neither recognizes that most of the separation is one of language and perception. I guess the best example from the statements below are:

Killer: Be practical!Leap Stimulator: Let’s think wild and crazy just for a minute.

Those that are "practical" are threatened by the exact idea of "thinking crazy" and the "crazy thinkers" are frustrated by the "practical".

One within their concrete fortress fending off the crazies and protecting the world from the unfettered assalt of change. The other in their madras tents fending off the stilted and stiffled and protecting the world from stagnate death.

The challenge is identifying the practicality and limitations of change, along with the benefits and creativity of that same change. Communicating to the practical that there are benefits to change. Communicating to the crazy that all tradition does not mean death.

Oscar

From David Farquar:Killer: There are problems ,,,Leap Stimulator: We have some opportunities.

Killer: I know this is a stupid questionLeap Stimulator: Would you provide me with some basic information?